Top 3 Best Middle/South America Winter Sun Destinations in January
Central and South America’s combination of tropical climate and cultural, geographical, and biological diversity makes it a prime region to choose a January getaway from. But since different people have varying preferences and travel budgets, picking the perfect destination for your needs can be a head-scratcher when you have so many diverse locations to choose from. Lucky for you, I’ve done most of the head-scratching and whittled down your choices to three top options.
These are the results from our survey where we asked our visitors for the top 3 best Middle/South America winter sun destinations in January.
The top 3 best middle/south America winter sun destinations in January are Chile, Nicaragua, and Panama. Each of these countries offers winter visitors a good balance of cultural experiences, vacation weather, and nature adventures.
In the rest of this post, I’ll explain exactly what each country has to offer winter visitors, with a special focus on the weather in January, tourist safety, festivals and events held in January, and more. Let’s dive right in.
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1. Chile
My top pick for the best winter sun destination in South and Central America for January travelers is a country affectionately nicknamed by locals “pais de los poetas,” which translates to the “country of poets.” Indeed, Chile lives up to its name. It has a deep-rooted literary tradition, not to mention the endless list of Chilean poets who’ve made significant contributions to the world of literature.
Chile’s deep appreciation of literature isn’t its only unique trait. It’s also one of the world’s longest countries, with a remarkable north-to-south distance of 4,300km (2,670 mi.). Such a unique shape is one of the main reasons Chile has one of the longest coastlines in South America. It’s also why the country offers so much variety for winter visitors who enjoy spending quality time on the beach.
The beauty of visiting in January is that the weather allows you to explore Chile’s wide selection of beaches and other outdoor attractions. The country’s location in the Southern Hemisphere means it experiences summer in January, a winter month in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere.
It’s worth noting that Chile’s weather conditions in January vary due to its long and narrow shape. Generally, temperatures increase as you move up north.
Here’s a summary of the weather conditions in various regions of the country to give you an idea of what to expect:
- Northern Chile. Northern Chile is home to the world’s driest nonpolar desert: The Atacama Desert. This region stays dry and hot throughout January, with daytime temperatures ranging from 27°C (81°F) to 32°C (90°F) and nighttime temperatures of about 16°C (61°F). It also has low humidity levels and sees plenty of sunlight throughout the day.
- Central Chile. This region is where the country’s capital, Santiago, is located. Daytime and nighttime temperatures here range from 26°C (80°F) to 30°C (86°F) and 11°C (52°F) –14°C(57°F), respectively. Brief, occasional showers are to be expected, and so is moderate humidity.
- Southern Chile. The Lake District, Patagonia, and surrounding areas are the coolest parts of the country. Daytime temperatures in this part of the country range from 15 – 25°C (59 to 77°F). The nights are cooler, with temperatures of 5–15°C (41 to 59°F). Southern Chile also sees slightly more rain and higher humidity than other regions.
As you can see, even the coolest parts of Chile have better weather than most countries in the Northern Hemisphere.
However, the weather isn’t the only reason winter visitors flock to Chile in January. There’s a long list of other perks of visiting the country of poets at the beginning of the year.
Here are the highlights:
Chile Hosts Several Festivals in January
If festivals are your favorite things to enjoy in your winter travels, you’re in for a treat because Chile hosts plenty of these in January. The best part of it all is that January festivals are held in different parts of the country, meaning one is likely going to be happening near where you’re staying.
Some of the unmissable festivals held in different parts of the country in January include:
- Ruta del Huemul. This annual festival is held every last weekend of January to pay tribute to the South Andean deer, an endangered deer species so important to Chilean national identity that it’s featured on the country's coat of arms. The festival’s main event is the “Route of the Huemul,” a two-day group hike that attracts many local and international ecotourism enthusiasts.
- The Saint Sebastián Feast Day. This glamorous religious festival attracts hundreds of thousands of Christians to Yumbel every January 20. The streets of the city turn into a colorful blur of yellow and red as attendees hold massive parades wearing those colors to pay their respects to the saint.
- Santiago a Mil Festival. This is an unmissable festival for anyone who’s passionate about art and theatre performances. Held in Santiago, Santiago a Mil attracts thousands of art enthusiasts from all over the world. Expect performances from local and international artists, circus shows, street art, dance, and of course, a variety of music.
- Semanas Musicales de Frutillar. This ten-day event is held in Frutillar every year. It starts towards the end of January and carries into early February, showcasing over 40 acts by local and international artists. If you’re passionate about live music performances, this will be worth your while.
Other noteworthy mentions include Brotes de Chile, Muestra Cultural Mapuche, and The Love Parade. The exact dates for these events may vary from one year to the next, so be sure to check with local tour guides in advance.
There’s A lot to See and Do In Chile
Chile has attractions for every taste. Whether you prefer to lay back and soak in the beautiful weather and serene surroundings or would rather explore the country’s breathtaking natural sights and unique historical sites, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from.
Since I can’t possibly cover every single attraction in this relatively short post (I’ll probably do a comprehensive round-up of that soon, so hang in there), I highly recommend checking out TripAdvisor's list of Chile’s top attractions. This list isn’t comprehensive by any means; it’s meant to serve as a starting point when you’re trying to plan your trip.
Chile is Safe For Tourists
Chile is one of South America’s safest countries. Political instability is pretty much non-existent, and crime rates are fairly low. But as with any other country (including the US), some parts of Chile have higher crime rates than others.
So before you visit any part of the county, consult with locals and other reliable sources such as tour guides, hotel staff, and the police. Also, don’t engage in high-risk behavior such as flaunting cash and valuable items in public or accepting unsolicited offers.
Lastly, pay attention to warnings about natural hazards. Chile is fairly safe from these, but it never hurts to check local weather reports, follow official advisories, or even register with your embassy/consulate for travel alerts.
It also helps to have comprehensive health insurance coverage when traveling. Chile has the 33rd best healthcare system in the world (according to World Health Organization standards), but some treatments may be out of your financial reach if you’re not insured.
2. Nicaragua
Aptly nicknamed the "land of lakes and volcanoes," the largest country in Central America is the place to be if you’re seeking a winter sun destination with diverse natural beauty and geological features.
This country has an abundance of stunning lakes, such as Lake Nicaragua and Lake Managua, and active volcanoes, such as Momotombo and Masaya. It’s also home to the second largest rainforest in North America, South America, and Central America: the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve.
Better still, Nicaragua has a wide selection of beautiful beaches. With a remarkable 450 km (280 mi.) of Caribbean coastline and 305 km (190 mi.) of Pacific coastline, you can rest assured you’ll find a beach that ticks every box in your selection criteria.
If you'd rather immerse yourself in culture, Nicaragua has some seriously cool colonial cities like Granada and León. Expect to be blown away by the beautiful old architecture and bustling markets as you dive into the country's fascinating cultural heritage.
Mind you, these are just the highlights. There’s so much more to see here for beach, culture, and nature lovers, and the weather in January is perfect for exploration. January falls in the dry season in Nicaragua. Most days are sunny and dry, and the occasional showers barely get in the way of outdoor adventures.
To cap off its impressive resume as a winter sun destination, Nicaragua has invested heavily in tourist safety in the last decade. The government has increased police presence in tourist hotspots, implemented more strict safety regulations and standards for tour operators and hotels, and beefed up emergency response systems.
3. Panama
Rounding up my list of the top 3 Central and South American winter sun destinations in January is Panama, a small country sitting on the isthmus between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It’s home to one of the world’s most famous engineering marvels, the Panama Canal.
However, that’s not all the country is known for, especially among snowbirds and short-term winter visitors. Tourists know Panama as a melting pot of different cultures, rich biodiversity, various UNESCO World Heritage sites, and a host of unique landscapes.
This Central American country is also safe, particularly in tourist hot spots such as Panama City and Bocas del Toro. That, along with the fact that it’s dry and sunny in January and the next few months, means you can enjoy all the unique experiences and attractions Panama has to offer.
How this Top 3 list was made
The top 3 list was derived from a survey where we asked about their top destination for a particular month and region. From these results, we made each month a top 3 for North America, the Caribbean, Middle/South America, Europe, and Asia (including the Middle East). Sometimes, we have combined several individual destinations from a single country into the country itself.